Washtub



(No Model.) 4 3 Sheets-Sheet 1'. P. CONNOLLY. WASHTUB Pate nted June 2,1896.

M? J. e 0

lJNiTED PATRICK CONNOLLY, OF BROOKLYN, NElV YORK.

WASHTUB.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 561,493, dated June 2,1896. Application filed November 2,1888. Serial No. 289,824- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PATRICKCONNOLLY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brooklyn, county of Kin-gs, and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Tubs for Laundry andother Purposes, fully described and represented in the followingspecification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to the construction of those stationarytubs suchas are commonly used in laundrics and for other similar purpesos. Thetubs of this class have heretofore been constructed in a variety ofways. In some cases they have been formed of wood, in other cases ofcast metal, and in a comparatively few cases, where the expense could beincurred, they have been made of porcelain or earthenware or of slabs ofslate or soapstone joined together. The wooden tubs are objectionablebecause of the difficulty of keeping them properly cleaned and becausethey soon become water-soaked and decay. The metal tubs, although theycan be more readily kept cleaned, soon rust and corrode, and the tubsmade of earthenware or slate or soapstone slabs are so expensive thatthey are not available except in a comparatively few cases.

It is the object of the present invention to provide tubs of this classwhich, while possessing all the essential characteristics and advantagesof those made of stone and earthenware, will be capable of production ata cost which will permit of their general use.

As a full understanding of the improvements constituting the inventioncan be best given by an illustration and description of a tub embodyingthe same indifferent forms, all preliminary description will be omittedand a full description given, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation, and Fig. 2 a plan view,of a pair of tubs embodying the in- Vention in one form. Figs. 3, 4, and5 are sectional views taken, respectively, on the lines 00 00, y 'y, ando 'u of Fig. 2. Figs. 6, 7, 8, 0, and 10 illustrate different forms ofthe invention, Figs. 6 and '7 being views similar to Fig. 4, Figs. 8 and9 enlarged sections taken on the line a a: of Figs. 0 and '7,respectively, and Fig. 10 an enlarged side view of a metal end orpartition frame.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1 to 5 it is to be understood thatthe main part or body of the tub, as therein shown, is made of wood andof the usualor substantially the usual form, consisting of bottom, side,and end planks a b 0. These planks are secured together by means ofmetal plates (1 e and tie rods f g. The plates d extend across thebottom of the tub and the plates 6 extend across its sides, the latterplates being provided at their upper ends with hooks, which extend overthe upper edges of the side planks b, and at their lower ends withthreaded portions which pass through openings in the plates (Z and areprovided with tightening-nuts. These plates serve to maintain tightjoints between the bottom plank a and the side planks b.

The rods f pass through vertical openings in the end planks c andthrough openings in the plates cl. They are screw-threaded at theirlower ends and are provided with tighteningnuts, by which tight jointsare maintained between the bottom a and ends 0. The rods g extend acrossthe tub and pass through the sides I) and plates 6 and lie in recessesformed in the top and bottom edges of the ends 0. These rods may beprovided with nuts at their ends; but, as shown, they are made in twoparts, which are connected by turnbuckles or screw-couplings it, bywhich they can be tightened, so as to maintain tight joints between thesides I) and ends 0.

The body of the tub thus constructed is provided with a liningconsisting of bottom, side, and end slabs m, n, and 0, of stone orpottery. These slabs will preferably be of slate; but they may be ofmarble or other stone, as soapstone, or they may be of pottery or glassor enameled iron or any other similar material. These slabs, which areof sufficient thickness to properly maintain themselves, are arranged asfollows: The side slabs 71 rest against the sides Z7 and extend from endto end of the tub and from the top to the bottom plank a. The bottomslab m rests upon the bottom a and fits between the slabs n and extendsfrom end to end of the tub. The end slabs 0 rest against the ends 0 andfit between the ends of the side and bottom slabs n m.

The edges of the slabs an n o are properly dressed, so as to form tightjoints with each other, and the several slabs are pressed together andheld in position by means of plates 19, through which the rods f pass,and which rest upon the tops of. the end planks c and the edges of theslabs 0. From this construction it will be readily seen that when theparts are assembled and the several rods and plates tightened up theplanks a b c and the slabs m n 0 will be drawn and held together, so asto form a tub having tights joints. To still further insure thetightness of the joints, thin rubber or other elastic packing or anysuitable cement may be introduced into the joints between the edges ofthe slabs m n 0 before the plates and rods are tightened.

The construction which has been described provides a tub which possessesall the desirable characteristics and advantages in the way ofcleanliness and durability of a tub made wholly of stone orpottery-ware, but at a cost which is comparatively small. The slabswhich are used for lining the tub, being comparatively thin, can beproduced at a comparatively small cost, and in case one of the slabsshould become broken it can be easily removed by loosening the rods anda new one inserted in its stead at a trifling cost and withoutsacrificing any of the other parts of the tub. A tub thus constructedalso possesses an advantage over one made wholly of stone or similarmaterial in regard to weight, it being much lighter, and also in thefact that the thin lining-slabs will absorb less heat, and thus haveless cooling effect upon the water than the thicker slabs which areemployed when the tub is made wholly of stone.

As illustrated in the present case, the invention is embodied in astructure forming two tubs, or what is generally known as acompartment-tub, which may have any number of compartments; but theinvention is of course applicable also to single tubs. Certain featuresof my invention, however, are of special application to compartmenttubs,and my invention consists in part of a compartment-tub embodying thesefeatures.

In compartment-tubs, in which slate, concrete, porcelain, or similarmaterial has been used, the sides and bottom of the tub have been madeof single pieces extending from end to end of the tub. With thisconstruction when hot water is used in one compartment and cold inanother simultaneously, as is common in the use of washtubs, differentportions of the same material have been subjected to differenttemperatures and to expansion and contraction in different degrees. Thisis one of the most frequent causes of breakage of the stone or porcelaincompartment-tubs now in use. I avoid this difficulty by forming thelinings of the different compartments of separate pieces, as is shownclearly in Figs. 1, 2, and 5, so that the same piece is never exposed todifferent temperatures at different points, as with the oldconstructions. This feature is applicable not only to the sides andbottom of the tub, but also to the partitions, which have previouslybeen formed of a single piece, which conseqnently is exposed todifferent temperatures on opposite sides. While the danger of breakagefrom this cause is not so great as in the ease of the sides and bottom,I prefer to form the partitions, as shown, with a central body or frameof wood or metal, upon opposite sides of which are placed slabs formingthe ends of the two adjacent compartments.

In some cases it will be found more desir able to dispense entirely withthe wooden planks c, forming the ends or ends and partitions, and tosubstitute therefor cast-metal skeleton frames of the general form illustrated in Figs. 7, 9, and 10. In this case the frame A is provided withthe vertical duct r for the overflow, the same as the casting t in theconstruction shown in Figs. 6 and 8; but in this case the parts are heldtogether by bolts e, which take the place of and are the with channels ato receive a suitable cement 00 to aid in forming tight joints betweenthe slabs 0 and m n.

The side and end planks when made of wood may, instead of being solid,be cut away, so as to provide openings to expose the lin gin gslabs andthus in effect constitute frames.

What I claim is- 1. A tub for laundry and other purposes, consisting ofan outer body having its sides, ends and bottom formed of separateparts, and a lining of stone or similar material, composed of separateside, end, and bottom slabs having their edges joined to form tightjoints, and the whole being united by suitable bolts or rods,substantially as described.

2. A compartment-tub consisting of an outer body composed of separateside, end, bottom and partition pieces and a lining of separate side,end, and bottom slabs of stone or similar material, the linings of thedifferent compartments being formed of separate pieces, the slabs havingtheir edges joined to form tight joints, and the whole being connectedby suitable rods or bolts, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

PATRICK OONNOLLY.

WVitnesses:

T. H. PALMER, EDWARD WOOD.

